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Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes won the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year award, announced Monday evening on MLB Network. While Skenes' girlfriend Olivia Dunne shouted and clapped in celebration, Skenes offered a subdued reaction, barely cracking a smile.
As Dunne continued to cheer, with a group off-camera joining her, the Pirates' ace remained largely neutral. He offered Dunne a hug and kiss, but otherwise didn't show much reaction. Baseball fans, naturally, loved the contrast between the two.
“Every single time he wins something he has no reaction at all and then Livvy is just there looking happier than ever😭,” one fan wrote via X. “Nothing fazes him.”
“Woah calm down there Paul,” wrote another, sarcastically.
Another thought it reflected well on Skenes that he wasn't enthusiastic about celebrating an individual award.
“Stoic reaction… he wants to win, doesn't care about these awards hahaha… GOAT,” they wrote.
That fan wasn't alone. Others were quick to draw the parallel between Skenes' non-reaction and the pitchers' comfort under pressure.
“The reason it’s actually impressive that he never reacts to things like this is because it shows he has ice in his veins, which is what makes him an elite pitcher,” another chimed in. “He doesn’t get emotional. That’s an assassin you’re looking at.”
And one couldn't help but joke that Skenes didn't react because he too believed Jackson Merrill deserved the award more than he did.
“The look of ‘I know someone else who deserves it more, but I’ll nod and accept anyways,'” they wrote.
Pirates P Paul Skenes wins Rookie of the Year race over Padres OF Jackson Merrill
By themselves, Skenes' numbers in his first year with the Pirates more than warrant a Rookie of the Year nod. Skenes made 23 starts in 2024, going 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA. He struck out 170 batters in 133 innings while walking only 2.2 per nine innings.
Skenes' efforts were enough to make him the starting pitcher for the National League in the 2024 All-Star Game. He is also one of three finalists for the NL Cy Young Award, to be announced Wednesday evening.
But as fans on social media were quick to note, Merrill had a case for the award as well. The San Diego Padres outfielder played in 156 games, hitting .292 with an .826 OPS. He also hit 24 home runs, earning an All-Star appearance himself and a Silver Slugger.
Merrill finished second in Rookie of the Year voting despite leading NL qualified rookies in batting average, slugging percentage (.500), home runs, and RBI (90).
